Kuristomasu
by Pernshinigami
Summary: Urahara throws a christmas bash at the shoten, and everybody wants somebody. Ichigo loves Byakuya, Orihime loves Ichigo, Rukia loves Orihime and Isshin loves spiking Ryoken's eggnog. Can Tatsuki sort them all out? Bya/Ichi, Ruki/Hime, Isshin/Ryoken/Urahar
1. Chapter 1

Notes: Merry Christmas to all my loyal readers. Affie, Satori, Weird chick, Saku-chan, Sadistic Homicidal child and all my other fans, thank you for following me for so long. My new years resolution, Finish HB! (smooches all and sprays champagne)

This fic was supposed to be one long chapter. but it got so huge I had to split it up! the song at the end is "Gotta be somebody" by Nickleback off their new album "Dark Horse."

* * *

"Churistmasu?" Yumichika mangled the unfamiliar world. "I haven't heard of it, is it some kind of foreign festival?"

"It's a religious holiday that got turned into an international institution." Uryu humphed. "At least in Japan it is."

"But it's a party Uryu!" Protested Matsumoto. "I don't care what for, you HAVE to come! How else are we supposed to learn about human customs?"

"I'll help you find a dress Rangiku." Orihime offered.

"Oh certainly. You and Rukia can come shopping with me." Rangiku gushed.

"We're waiting for a few more people, then you guys can train for the afternoon. But I want you to clear out at four so I can begin." Urahara hummed happily.

"He looks too happy." Ichigo sighed, counting the heads in the room. Himself, Uryu, Sado, Orihime, Rukia, Renji, Matsumoto, Hitsugaya, Ikkaku and Yumichika. "I wonder if he means Shinji and Hiyori. I wouldn't want to leave them alone for the holidays."

"Ichigo! Hi!" Tatsuki Keigo and Mizuiro rounded the corner. Tatsuki grinned hugely. "So, we finally get to get a straight answer about what's been going on?" The smirk on her face bode ill for Ichigo.

Keigo jumped the orange haired shinigami. "Yeah, Urahara told us the whole story about you kicking butt. I didn't think superheroes were actually real, but you're the closest one man."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Mizuiro said politely to the shinigami. "Urahara invited us to the Christmas party."

"Wait YOU THREE??" Ichigo demanded. "How? Why? When?"

"When you went to fight Aizen in the hollow world." Mizuiro said with an easy going smile. "We followed you to the shop. Tatsuki was really mad when you wouldn't answer her about Orihime. We followed you to the shop to find out what you were doing and Urahara caught us. He explained to us about shinigami, hollows and what Aizen was planning. But he said to keep quiet about it and keep our heads down. So we didn't say anything."

"HAT AND CLOGS!!!!!!!!" Ichigo roared.

"Coming Ichigo?" Urahara grinned, fanning himself. "Oh them. I wanted them to meet the shinigami face to face. I felt they had stood on the sidelines long enough. Besides, Arisawa-san holds great promise. I thought she should meet the ladies and get to know you."

"Urahara sir." Ururu called out. "Soi Fong taichou is here, and so are Kyouraku, Ukitake, Izuru, Shuhei and Kuchiki-taichou."

"Excellent. Come Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro. My training ground if you please. Ichigo, play the host."

Rangiku squealed and tugged Tatsuki by the arm. "Oooooh! I love your hair. You look so cute! It looks just like taichou's hair only brown."

Hitsugaya's face twitched. "It's a pleasure." He ground out with a glare at Rangiku.

Keigo had since jumped Ikkaku and Yumichika. "See, /I/ saw them first." He was grinning like an idiot. "Just Ikkaku, whatever you do don't marry my sister. PLEASE! She likes shiny heads and she goes insane whenever you enter the room." He pleaded. Ikkaku reached up, pried Keigo off, and flung him across the room. "Why so cooolllld?" He whined.

"Because you're an idiot. Come on Yumichika, lets go train. I feel like fighting."

"Oh you're so pretty when you're mad." Yumichika squealed.

Ichigo leapt down into the training area. Shunsui was already into the sake and sharing with Ukitake. Byakuya was seated on a boulder, watching them descend. Soi Fong was already practicing, with Yoruichi in cat form riding on her shoulder giving her instructions.

Tatsuki grinned hugely. It wasn't as dramatic as Ichigo's, but she leapt at about ten feet off the ground and landed in a sprinters crouch. Keigo fell clumsily behind her and Mizuiro carefully let himself down.

"Hey everybody." Ukitake waved cheerfully.

"Taichou." Rukia said with a huge grin. "We have human guests unfortunately."

"Yes Urahara did mention three students showing up."

"Sado, come have a drink with me." Shunsui called out. Soi Fong stopped, pausing to watch the newcomers. Byakuya turned his head to regard the group. "Its been far too long."

"I told you, humans aren't allowed to have alcohol until they turn 21. I'm not even nineteen." Sado smiled faintly. "but I will join you if you don't mind it."

"Byakuya, its good to see you again. Have you been doing alright? I heard you actually cut your own limbs to beat that guy. That's something that I…. probably wouldn't have done."

"It was a battle only I could have won." Byakuya said coldly. "Rukia was on the line, and if I didn't win quickly she would have died of her wounds. I simply wished to win. However, Zommari would likely have killed you had you tried. And unlike you have have a mastery of kidou, even with my arms and legs severely damaged, as long as still have the breath with which to speak I can still defend my honor and my family. Though I would remind you that……." Byakuya disappeared and suddenly he was behind Ichigo, whispering in his ear. "I would be more careful, around the sister of the clanhead of the kuchiki. If I find her in that state again because she followed you, I will make you pay."

"I'll be sure to remember that." Ichigo chuckled. "It seems you learned a lesson or two from the time we first met."

Senbonzakura hummed, fluttering around Zangetsu. Don't worry, he doesn't mean with death. He…….. likes yours. It would be good for him to love with yours. He has caused a great change in my Byakuya. A fire had been born in his heart again.

My Ichigo has a tendency to do that. Zangetsu hummed. He has unusual empathy for a boy. Because he cannot stand to see others hurt, and will do all in his power to protect them, his power increases when there is something he wanted to protect. It's a power inside everyone, he just uses it reflexitively.

We should meet Zangetsu, the other Zanpakuto are visiting each other. You haven't sung with many of us have you?

Sung?

When the year is in its twilight and shinigami gather together their zanpakuto vibrate in harmony. You are the youngest of us. Come Zangetsu. It is time you gathered with the others.

Urahara beamed, fanning himself as he remembered the conversation he'd had a few days ago with the Commander General.

**~flashback~**

"That was a disaster!" Yamamoto sighed. "A great victory and a costly one. What am I going to do? We severely damaged Aizen's cause but he is still able to make his move. Tell me, did you get the whole story out of Inoue?"

"Yes, Aizen wanted to use her powers to awaken the Hogyouku that much faster. However, she planned on pulling a fast one on him. She was going to use her powers to destroy the Hogyoku. Unfortunately I don't think that's a very good idea. If she had she would have created a paradox, the world would be as it was without the Hogyoku. True, there would be nothing for Aizen to steal. But he would still have turned out to be a rotten egg. And you would have had no warning, none, that something was wrong. Ichigo would not have been there to stop the Bount. And Aizen would still have staged a coux de tat over something. Removing the Hogyoku from the equation would have made the problem worse. And likely Orihime would have been the only one who remembered what truly happened."

"Regardless, Urahara, all that's happened. I need some way to bring the members of all the different teams together. Some way to raise their morale so that when Aizen strikes again, we can rise up as one."

"I think I know exactly how." Urahara grinned wickedly. "There's a human festival coming up that is meant just for that. I believe the Romans called it Saturnalia. (1) But modern man calls it……"

**~end flashback~**

Urahara clapped his hands for attention. "Everyone!" He called out, pointing around the circle with his fan. "These three are classmates of Ichigo's, Keigo, Mizuiro and Tatsuki. They're going to be tagging along. They're supposed to be learning about shinigami. Now. Tonight is, I'm sure the humans will tell you, the night humans call Christmas eve. It's a human festival about fellowship, love, compassion, rebirth, freedom, caring. Many of these are ideals prized by the Soul Society in its children. So we will have training until four pm today. And then you are all to go get a meal, go shopping, anything that you like, as a group, together. Friends, allies, loved ones, brothers and sisters. For the shinigami I have gigai prepared for later."

"You will return at 5pm, at which time I will have a party set up down here for you. Thank you. That is all."

"Hmph." Soi Fong turned to go back to her practice when she bumped into Tatsuki. "What is it human?" She asked icily.

Tatsuki flinched. "Well…. I saw you were doing a rare and thought to be extinct form of kung fu and I was curious. Do you think you could teach me?"

"Teach you?" Spat Soi Fong. "You're a human, you don't have the strength."

"You know Soi Fong. Tatsuki has known Ichigo since they were children. They met when she beat him at boxing. Age nine." Yoruichi supplied.

"C……… c……….. talking cat?" Tatsuki sputtered.

"Oh please." Yoruichi leapt from Soi Fong's shoulder and shifted back. Tatsuki covered her face, since Yoruichi came out naked. Yoruichi reached for her clothes.

"Byakurai!" The kidou blocked Yoruichi from retrieving her clothing.

"Really Soi Fong." Yoruichi reached for her clothes again. With the same result. "Can you let me…. Get d…….. eeeeeek!" Soi Fong kicked Yoruichi away from her clothes. "what the hell kinda prank?"

Kon had been sitting on a rock watching with the other three modsouls, and his eyes were sparkling at the sight of Yoruichi naked. Soi Fong eyed Kon, then Yoruichi, then hooked Yoruichi's clothes on the tip of her toe and flung them at Kon. They landed on top of the lion plushy, who collapsed with eyes turned to hearts. "I like seeing you……. Very naked……… I like fighting you naked even better."

Yoruichi squeaked and turned for her clothes. "Oh no. I'm BURNING those when Kon wakes up." She ran for the ladder.

Shunpo, Soi Fong cut Yoruichi off. The two of them disappeared into the depths of the practice ground.

Keigo gawked. "Did I just see what I thought I….."

"It figures." Urahara laughed.

"Who do I train with now?" Tatsuki sighed in disappointment.

"Drat, that means me." Matsumoto grinned. "I have an idea Tatsuki, come with me."

"Huh? Sure." Tatsuki followed Matsumoto a ways away from the group. "How come?"

"There are four disciplines a shinigami is required to learn. Swordsmanship, shunpo, kidou and hand to hand. My hand to hand skills are a bit rusty, so let me practice with you okay?"

"Can I have some of that sake mister…… ah…….." Keigo hesitated.

"Shunsui Kyouraku, please pull up a seat."

"I wouldn't mind some either." Mizuiro sat more sedately than Keigo. "It's a pleasure to meet you Kyouraku-san. Forgive Keigo please, he's a loser."

Keigo started to blubber and whine. Ichigo and Byakuya watched. "Kurosaki, I wouldn't mind a sparring match. If you don't mind." Byakuya said coolly. He slowly edging away from Keigo and Mizuiro.

Ichigo grinned. "I don't mind a bit." He drew Zangetsu. "come on, lets get some distance." He couldn't stand Keigo when he acted like a baby. He took one look back. Tatsuki was sparring with Rangiku, a huge smile on her face. Orihime was cheering for her, sending her shun shun rikka back and forth before tugging Rukia off in the other direction.

They were soon out of sight out of mind, "Alright, lets ge…."

Ichigo dropped Zangetsu in shock. Byakuya had shunpo'd in behind him, whirling Ichigo around into a kiss. It all happened in one fast, smooth motion. His eyes shot wide open, his body flushed, frozen in surprise.

Byakuya gently nibbled on his lip, trying to coax him into a response. Ichigo's arms shifted, and at first the noble thought he was going to push him away. Ichigo blushed, and then wrapped his arms around Byakuya's shoulders and returned the kiss, opening his mouth for the other. Their tongues twined, Ichigo tentatively meeting Byakuya's movements, arms tightening around his shoulders.

They pulled apart with a gasp from Ichigo. "Why did you do that?" He asked quietly, face flushing in embarrassment.

"Why do you think?" Byakuya asked, encouraged when Ichigo didn't move away. "I wanted to…. Get you alone." His hands moved southward, resting on Ichigo's hips. "And have a little… fun."

Ichigo's mind was racing, he had to find some way to let the shinigami down gently. He had to think of something to say before this got out of hand. Maybe he kinda liked the kiss, and the attention he was getting but he'd……… "I have never /been/ with anyone, ever." He clung tighter, but he moved Byakuya's hands back around his waist. He carefully motioned that the stoic shinigami sit back against a rock before straddling his lap and resting his head against Byakuya's chest. "Can you……. Slow down just a bit."

Byakuya realized his mistake, he'd been operating on the assumption that Ichigo had had a kind of relationship before. After all, he was popular, kindhearted, he attracted a lot of friends and attention. Now he realized that Ichigo probably hadn't had any time for a relationship, or maybe it hadn't occurred to him before that others might find him attractive. He'd probably just taken the deputy's first kiss even.

But whatever fantasies he'd had of sweeping Ichigo off his feet and taking him in the underground practice cavern went completely out of his mind.

"If you want me to." Byakuya said quietly, a small smile on his face. Ichigo rested his hands lightly against Byakuya's chest. "I apologize if I unsettled you."

"Its fine." Ichigo still had a soft blush on his face. "I haven't even had time to think of a relationship, with anyone. Hell, I didn't even think about……. About whether I……. preferred girls or guys. Between classes at school and fighting hollows…. Why, did you think I liked Rukia?"

"The thought crossed my mind yes."

"Nope." Ichigo mumbled into Byakuya's chest. "Can we stay like this for a bit?"

Byakuya chuckled, "Yes." He reached out to stroke Ichigo's hair. Ichigo smiled, probably the first time in his life that a tender smile crossed his face. And he reached out to kiss Byakuya again, the sixth captain taking the lead again. Byakuya wrapped his arms around Ichigo and rested them on his waist. Ichigo was content for Byakuya to be seme for the time being, and in an instant their positions were reversed. Ichigo's back was to the same rock, with Byakuya straddling his legs. The kiss moved from Ichigo's lips, to his neck, and his shoulder. Ichigo clung to Byakuya's shoulders, moaning at the attention.

_I like this…what he's doing… that's all I really wanted… this feels kinda nice…_Ichigo lifted a leg, as if he could keep Byakuya there with just that one limb.

Rukia and Orihime had gone looking for Ichigo. They were planning a trip to the movie theater, enmasse, they were going to split up and arrive separately, then get the same theater. And what did Ichigo want to see?

Rukia stopped Orihime just short of interrupting them. Orihime squeaked, eyes widening.

Byakuya was kissing Ichigo, up his neck, his jawline. And as the two girls watched Byakuya moved back to Ichigo's lips. And the eager way Ichigo responded to him, it was clear that the feeling was mutual.

Orihime looked ready to scream. Rukia hauled her back behind the nearest rock and covered her mouth. "DON'T. YOU. DARE." She grated out.

Orihime glared at Rukia and darted off. "Orihime! ORIHIME!"

"Don't you dare break them up!" Rukia hissed, just as Orihime started to cry. "What is it?"

* * *

1. The Roman festival of Saturnalia became Christmas, and its where we get the practice of giving gifts, the ceremonial ones being candles and herbs. It's the festival where the year is shortest, so by giving light and comfort to others the world remains warm through the cold. The traditional greeting is Io Satunalia!


	2. Chapter 2

"I give and I give…… and I get nothing." Orihime wiped her tears on her sleeve. "I want to find happiness, just once. I /love/ Ichigo. I was too scared to say anything and now I missed him."

Rukia sighed. Chizuru is going to hate me. She thought.

**~flashback~**

"Sooooo……" Ichigo nudged Rukia. "There's a school dance tonight. You could be my date."

"I already /have/ a date?"

"Huh?"

"I'm going with Chizuru."

"WHAT???????"

"Why not, she asked me?" Rukia sighed.

"But she's a…… she's a……"

"Girl, yes." Rukia sighed. "/that's/ obvious."

"But……… but……… she's a lecher!" Ichigo protested. "She's almost as bad as Kon! You're….. oblivious aren't you?"

"See, this is why I didn't want to tell you who I'm dating." Rukia snapped. "You not only state the obvious you're closed minded too."

"I don't…….."

"I'm over a hundred and fifty years old Ichigo. Because shinigami are so long lived they're very fluid about sexuality. You know captain Kyouraku? He chases skirts but he's the longtime mate of /my/ captain Ukitake!" Rukia huffed. "I caught Renji in the closet with his old classmate Izuru. And I know Rangiku was mooning over Nanao."

Ichigo grimaced. "Please don't. I get it. Fine. Wait……"

"WHAT."

"If you like girls, which of them would be your first choice."

"Actually? Orihime. Chizuru was the one who asked though. So I go with Chizuru."

**~end flashback~**

Rukia looked ready to cry now. Orihime was, first off, hurting her feelings. Second of all, this was Byakuya. Her /brother./ If he wanted Ichigo then Ichigo he would /have!/

"Orihime……. My brother lost my sister, his wife, and swore that he'd never love anyone ever again. Do you know how big this is that he likes Ichigo? DON'T interrupt them! Please I'm begging you."

Rukia was ready to cry. "You KNOW Orihime, sometimes if you /let/ the world give it WILL give back!" She snapped and ran back to the main group and kicked a rock at her foot. It barely missed Shunsui. Rukia started crying and clung to Rangiku, who had been off to one side sharing one of the local (nonalcoholic) fruit drinks sold in the rukongai with Tatsuki.

"What's wrong Rukia?" Rangiku asked worriedly.

"Orihime's being mean!" Rukia bawled. "Its not fair, Niisama finally finds somebody NICE! Who will care about him and won't get sick and die and all she can think of is herself. The one time she decides to be selfish she throws a fiiiiittttt!"

"Orihime…. What….."

"Its Ichigo isn't it?" Tatsuki shook her head. "Rukia she'll come around. She just needs a little time."

"What's wrong?"

"Ichigo was making out with Niisama! And all Orihime could say was 'its not fair /I/ want Ichigo!'" Rukia sobbed.

Rangiku blink, blink, blink. "OOOOOOOOOOOOH! Kuchiki-taichou finally found someone new! Well there's nobody better than Ichigo!"

"That's not good." Tatsuki sighed.

"How come?"

"Rukia likes Orihime, Orihime likes Ichigo."

**~flashback~**

"YOU'RE WHAT?????" Tatsuki squealed when Rukia entered on Chizuru's arm. The shinigami was wearing a suit, and Chizuru was wearing an overly slinky black evening dress. "Wow. I did /not/ see that coming."

"She asked, and I didn't feel like having the booty patrol drooling over me." Rukia replied. "Besides, the person I was hoping would ask, didn't."

"Chizuru IS the booty patrol." Tatsuki said with a roll of her eyes.

"So?"

"You said you wanted to avoid the booty patrol."

"Tatsuki just shut up." Rukia replied.

"Wow Rukia, I didn't think you swung that way." Mizuiro had a /tux/ on. A tuxedo, leading an upperclassman on his arm.

"I'm indiscriminate." Rukia replied. "Besides, the person I WANTED to go with didn't ASK."

"Oooooh, that sucks." Mizuiro shook his head. "So who did you want to ask you? Renji?"

Rukia's face started to twitch. Her fellow shinigami were in attendance as well. Which meant Renji, Rangiku, Hitsugaya, Ikkaku and Yumichika. And one look over at them showed how much Rukia /didn't/ want to be at that end of the gym. Yumichika was monopolizing Ikkaku, dragging him out to dance until Ikkaku got bored and then dragging him into a corner to make out. A teacher had already intercepted 3 attempts by Rangiku to pour sake into the punch. Hitsugaya was probably the only one well behaved, sticking to dancing or watching. Renji was hitting on anything with breasts in sight. Uryu was being a gentleman, dancing with Orihime before taking a seat on the sidelines. Ichigo was nowhere in sight. Sado was stuck serving punch.

As Rukia watched the giant calmly snatched a sake bottle from Rangiku's hands (her 4th attempt at spiking the punch.) He then stored it neatly in a box under the table, turned Rangiku around gently, and pushed her in the opposite direction. Ikkaku then decided to make an attempt on the punch bowl, and found that Nova had latched onto the bottle and teleported it back to the box where Sado had stored any confiscated alcohol.

"You have got to be kidding me." Rukia's face twitched harder and harder. "I'm not going over there if you paid me."

"So who is it you REALLY want?" Tatsuki asked as Mizuiro and his girlfriend moved off.

Rukia said quietly. "Orihime."

Both girls shook their heads. "You're never going to get her. She's clueless." Chizuru sighed, eyes sparkling. "That's what makes her so cute."

"Utterly clueless. Heaven help her if Ichigo finds somebody else. She's all eyes for him and Uryu." Tatsuki agreed.

"Uryu is gay. I caught him with a guy friend." Chizuru added. "Not saying who…." She added with a smirk.

Rukia just drooped, watching Orihime cling to Ichigo. "Yeah. Never."

**~end flashback~**

Rangiku hmphed, "that's not right!" she sighed. "We need to fix this! Rukia you should /say something/."

Tatsuki huffed. "Hey," she smirked. "Hang on a sec. I'm going to do my best to help you Rukia! Its Christmas for crying out loud. You shouldn't be alone!"

"Whatdyou we do?" Asked Rangiku.

"We're going to buy mistletoe, a lot of mistletoe. We're gonna need sake……."

"…… GOT THAT COVERED!" Rangiku exclaimed.

"We're going to need a karaoke machine." Tatsuki finished.

"What's a karaoke machine?" Rangiku asked.

Rukia blinked too. "Yeah. I haven't heard of that human custom."

"Kareoke is the equalizer of all mankind." Tatsuki explained. "You get a machine that plays music, but that also has a screen. The music plays, the screen flashes the lyrics, and people who normally wouldn't dare pick up a microphone get up on a stage and sing."

"Ooooooooooooh! We need to get one for the woman's association." Rangiku exclaimed. "That would be so cool. We could bully the menfolk into standing up on the stage and sing! Romantic, sappy, silly girls songs no less. And they'd HAVE to do it!"

"Um…… is mistletoe the plant you hang up and try to catch a person under it and kiss them?"

"Yes." Tatsuki smirked. "And we're going to need a lot of it."

"Ooooooooooh!"

"Hey is that Yoruichi coming back?" Tatsuki asked.

"Yeah, it looks like Fong taichou finally gave her back her clothes."

Yoruichi was dressed, but her face was flushed, hot and sweaty. Soi Fong was the same, with the addition of a smug smirk. "They've been doing it haven't they?" Tatsuki asked.

"Yes…….." And soi fong reached over to kiss Yoruichi on the cheek. "They have." Said Rukia as she watched them rejoin the group. "Where did Ukitake and Kyouraku go?"

"The hot tub." Tatsuki pointed. "And those two just came from there."

Izuru and Shuhei had just appeared from the spa area of the training ground. They were flushed, like they'd spent too much time in the hotsprings. And Izuru was clinging to Shuhei, a blush on his face.

At the same time Ichigo was emerging with Byakuya from their own little…. Makeout session. Ichigo was looking satisfied, and clingy. "I didn't think he'd go for older men." Tatsuki added.

"Technically we're all 'older' than he is."

"Yes, but Byakuya is /physically/ older." Tatsuki shook her head. "I hope he's not stupid enough to introduce him to Kurosaki-san as 'my boyfriend.' Rukia's older brother sounds at least politically correct."

"A tip for working with us shinigami." Rangiku told her. "Politically correct typically means nada for us."

"Where's…… hey Yoruichi, a minute?" Tatsuki called the Shihouin woman back.

"Sure, what is it?" Yoruichi asked. It didn't take long, but Rukia and Tatsuki told the shinigami the whole story. "So do you think you can help? I mean does Urahara have a karaoke machine somewhere in there?"

"Yes, unfortunately for us. He visited a karaoke bar in Tokyo in the 70's. After that he just had to have one. I about strangled him after about the 10th rendition of "I will survive." He's lucky, I was ready to smash the damn thing."

"Ow." Tatsuki giggled. "That sucks."

"Don't worry. We'll have all the mistletoe, booze and karaoke we can find for you." Yoruichi smirked. "For now Tatsuki. I think they're about to decide which movie to watch, Milk or the Day the Earth Stood Still."

"I hear they mangled the original. I'll take the political biography movie." Tatsuki shook her head.

"We can go see both." Rangiku offered. "I want to see these movies you humans like so much. Besides, shinigami in general don't have a problem with Homosexuality. And there's a guy in my division who actually /konso'd/ Harvey Milk back in 1978. Historical movies are more or less lost on me. But things blowing up? The end of the world? I don't want to sound like captain zaraki but it sounds much more exciting." (2)

"Okay, we're pretty much split between The Day the Earth Stood Still and Milk. Ladies your votes please?"

"Milk!" Tatsuki and Rukia chimed.

"Day the earth stood still." Rangiku speaks up. "/then/ go see Milk."

"We only have time for one, but they're close enough together we can split." Uryu said, looking at his watch.

"I'll take Byakuya back to my house. We need an extra jacket for him. Your shohaksho and haori probably won't hold up to the cold. Snow started coming down outside I heard. Rukia? You coming?" Ichigo asked hopefully. "I have to get some more money too. Tickets and snacks."

Tatsuki whispered to Rukia as they left, "you have the space of one movie to find a song that sums up how much you love Orihime. Kay?"

"Thank you." Rukia whispered back. "How are you liking shinigami?"

"You guys are all awesome." Tatsuki whispered back. "Come on guys! We're going to see a movie!"

* * *

1. Information on Harvey Milk can be found on wikipedia. He was the first openly gay man to run for major office (Supervisor in San Francisco) and died in 1978. The movie "Milk" is about his life and run. To this day in New York City there is a highschool for GLBT kids named "Harvey Milk" in his honor, meant to give teenagers being given a tough time because of their sexual orientation the chance to grow up with others like them.


	3. Chapter 3

Ichigo lead Byakuya back towards his house. "Alright, I should warn you. My dad has a tendancy to…….. pounce……. People coming in the door."

Byakuya blinked.

"What is it?"

"Somebody I knew a long time ago did the same." Byakuya said calmly. "Errr….. should you lead the way?" Byakuya was wearing a simple white shirt, thigh hugging black leather pants, and a pair of shoes Tatsuki had identified as having been made by a goddess named Nike (1). His usual scarf and kensaiken were completely out of

"Might be a good idea yeah." Ichigo opened the door. "Tadaima!" (2)

"Ichigooooooooooo!" An over ebullient Isshin tried to tackle Ichigo at the door. Ichigo caught him with a foot, pushing him back.

"Jeeze old man, what is it with you? You act like a puppy that was locked in the house alone all day!" Ichigo huffed. "Rukia's brother is visiting town, you just made an idiot of yourself."

"Brother?" Isshin blinked. Then he saw Byakuya. The look in his eyes instantly told Ichigo something was wrong. He blanched, then fear, irritation, more fear, anger, and finally defensiveness.

"Byakuya what is it?" Ichigo asked. "Dad?"

"Nothing son." Isshin forced his face to go back to normal.

"Well Rukia and I are going to take him to the movies. Just to show him a good time while we're in town and Uryu and Sado are coming along too."

Byakuya's mind was racing. /His/ old captain. He was going to be dating the son of his former commanding officer. Wait, Isshin wasn't saying something? Ichigo didn't know anything?

Which meant that Isshin had been lying to Ichigo his whole life. It was something Byakuya understood, he'd done the same with Rukia. But that was because doing so was Hisana's last wish. In general, that kind of thing annoyed him. Byakuya had /pride/ in his Kuchiki heritage. And to him one's bloodline was something one had a right to be proud of. Ichigo was walking away and it was going against the grain to watch Isshin lie to him.

A person has a right, no matter who they are, to know where they came from. He'd almost lost Rukia without her knowing that she had a sister. That she'd mattered to someone. /real/ families, /blood/ families were rare in the soul society. Shinigami from the rukon had lost their memories, their identities, and their loved ones. All one after the other.

Byakuya knew he was going to screw things up. But for once he didn't care.

Step wooooosh! Byakuya shunpo'd a beat down the hall to turn Ichigo around. "Byakuya what the hell???? Not in front o……."

YANK! Isshin whirled to try and block him. But truly only Yoruichi and Soi Fong could move faster than he. The red spirit ribbon was seemingly pulled out of nowhere.

Isshin glared daggers at Byakuya, caught red handed. "Why don't you have a talk with your son, Kurosaki-/taichou/?"

"As subtle as a mallet Kuchiki-gaki." Isshin snapped. "I had a good reason not to say anything if YOUD KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!" The two glared at each other.

"Wait, Byakuya what are you…….. saying? How could you know dad? I only just……….." He began to slowly turn pale. Not the white pale when he became Ogichi, the terrified pale of a teenage boy who's just had his world turned on its end. Byakuya could see the gears turning in Ichigo's mind. "You lied."

"Ichigo wait I…….."

"All my life you lied."

"I had a reason to….."

"You knew about shinigami, you knew what Rukia was, what I was………. There was no way you coul………"

"I was trying to……"

"You knew about hollows."

"Ichigo……"

"You could have……. You could have saved her………"

"No Ichigo, I couldn't have." Isshin tried to move in to catch Ichigo but he shoved Isshin away, falling flat on his butt.

"ITS YOUR FAULT!!!! FOR SIX YEARS I SUFFERED! YOU COULD HAVE SAVED HER!!!!! I HATE YOU!!!! I HATE YOU!!!!!!!!!" Ichigo's face filled with tears. He turned and bolted for his bedroom.

"NICE GOING!" Isshin turned his outrage on Byakuya, shoving the captain against the wall. "You know I had GOOD reason not to tell him, Yuzu or Karin ANYTHING!"

"A boy has the right to know his heritage. He should be proud of his…….."

"I didn't want him to have that life!" Isshin replied. "That was your problem Byakuya you never THOUGHT. Your fucking STUPID pride kept you from seeing things anyway other than the KUCHIKI way! That's all that ever mattered to you!"

Byakuya glared at Isshin.

"I wanted my son, and my two beautiful daughters, to be anything BUT a shinigami. Byakuya, six years ago Ichigo's mother was eaten by a hollow, by GRAND FISHER. She was eaten right in front of his own two EYES. She DIED saving him from being EATEN! He was so terrified that he……. He suppressed the memories of what happened. He blamed himself for years until he and Rukia encountered the hollow again at Masaki's grave."

"There was nothing you could have done. I'm assuming you used the……. Method…… devised by Urahara?"

"Yeah. Human, fully. I couldn't even see hollows at the time it happened. I only knew the signs from what was……… left." Isshin refused to look Byakuya in the eye. "I'm not in a good mood. I asked Urahara to try and reverse it, I haven't showed anything in front of Ichigo or the girls. I don't want them to worry, but my body hurts all over. Back, shoulders, legs, Urahara is working on detaching my body from the gigai. So that I won't be dependant on it, so I can fight again. But I'm nowhere near one hundred percent. And Byakuya…."

"Hm?"

"I welcomed Rukia into my home because I knew she was a relation and she needed company. But I knew immediately what had happened with her and Ichigo. He has my support and if he REALLY wants to fight he has my blessing. I won't stop him. But if I had had any way to stop it…. Ichigo would never have picked up a sword." Isshin said grimly. "You made this mess, and I know full well why you did what you did. You're all for bonds of blood, but you messed with Ichigo's bond with mine. FIX IT. Or Rukia will be allowed to stay, but you will not welcome in my household."

Byakuya nodded. He padded silently up the stairs, a small blonde form walked into him by mistake. "I apologize."

"Wh……… who are you?"

"I'm Rukia's older brother, is your brother in his room?"

"Yeah, ran up there a few minutes ago and slammed the door. He was crying too. I'm Yuzu! I'm ten, well, Karin and I are almost eleven. What's your name?"

"Byakuya." Ichigo had spoken of his sisters, back when they first met. "I needed to borrow a jacket. Ichigo and Rukia are taking me to see a movie."

"Oh that's so cool!" Yuzu squealed. "You look like a movie star yourself! You look like Rukia, but way more proper! Like a noble out of an old samurai movie!" Byakuya blinked in surprise, a small smile curving his face. "You'd better go in. Whatever happened he was crying. I've never seen him cry, not once in six years."

Byakuya nodded and knocked on Ichigo's door. "Ichigo its me, may I come in?"

"Yeah."

Ichigo was flat on his stomach, arms wrapped around the pillow.

"I just spoke with your father. I need to… explain to you how something like this would happen. And he is in no way at fault in the death of your mother. For the most part……. If a shinigami, especially a high ranking officer like your father."

"High…. Ranking? Then wouldn't Yamamoto have recognized me either? I mean the surname."

"Your father, a long time ago, was /my/ captain. I was a spoiled brat when I first started as a shinigami. My father, decided that it was better the way I was to begin in the low ranks and work my way up. He was 6th captain before me. But he put me in your father's squad. But it was…… and incident. When a shinigami captain is fed up, they can retire quietly to the seireitei, they'd be given the traditional 'congrats on retirement' send off. Or they can take a less common route. If a shinigami captain wants to leave the seireitei and move on to the human world, he must first get rid of his powers. He has to give everything up. Zanpakuto, kido, shunpo, even the ability to see spirits. To see HOLLOWS." Byakuya carefully lifted Ichigo into his arms. "He loved your mother and made an enormous sacrifice to be with her. Most shinigami wouldn't have done what he'd done, even for the sake of love."

"But……. When Rukia came……. I mean you just have to grab a spirit ribbon. I learned how to do that from Uryu. Its easy." Ichigo mumbled into Byakuya's chest.

"Yes, he probably could have. He probably did. He said he recognized what had happened the very first day Rukia appeared. He sympathized as a shinigami for her to have had no place to go and he thought she might be related to me and took care of her under that assumption. He had hoped, I think, that you wouldn't get much stronger. That you'd remain low ranking, local and under the radar of the soul society. But he….. he didn't want you to be a soul reaper. He wanted you to live as close to a normal life as you could." Byakuya carefully dabbed the tears from Ichigo's eyes.

"Why'd you do it? I understand I think but."

"Because Ichigo, in the soul society blood families are very, very rare." This wasn't an easy thing for him to explain to /any/ mortal. "most shinigami, when they enter the soul society, lose their memories of being human. I suspect your case will likely be different because you became a shinigami while you were alive. But Rangiku, Renji, Shuhei, Hitsugaya, even captain Zaraki all lost the memories of their mortal lives. They don't remember their mortal families. They don't remember how they died. And as you know full well Zaraki doesn't even remember what his name was. Yachiru was a baby so he's the one who named her. But it's the same with every shinigami but the ones who were born into shinigami families. What you had was something rare, and I couldn't….. I didn't think……. That it was wise to keep you from knowing where you came from."

"So when they die my sisters won't remember me either? But I'll…….."

"Do you understand, a little, why your father wanted you to be normal?" Byakuya asked. "As for your mother. At the time he couldn't see grand fisher. If he'd been there that day, you would have lost BOTH parents. The only reason why your father knew which hollow it had been was because Urahara or Yoruichi, or some other soul reaper he was friendly with, told him what had happened. Of course, he would have known it was a hollow attack when he saw your mother's body. And it probably hurt him terribly to know that the ability to protect her was firmly beyond his reach."

Ichigo sobbed a little, clinging to Byakuya. "Did they…… ever catch grand fisher?" The older soul reaper stroked Ichigo's hair, burying his face tenderly in the orange spiky mess.

"Well, the report was only that he'd been slain. Nobody knew why, but my guess is that if it wasn't Urahara it was either your father or Uryu's father Ryuken."

Ichigo nodded, "I wanted to be…. The one who split his mask. I wanted to be the one to kill him."

"That is not a good idea. Slaying a hollow for revenge is never ever a good feeling. If it was your father, then he likely killed grand fisher to protect your soul as much as your life."

"I thought you said dad had no powers left."

"He asked Urahara to help him get them back. He can fight a little, but his body is in a lot of pain. Urahara is giving him medicine to try and break the bond between him and the gigai he's lived in for about 200 years."

"What made him want to leave? You were in his division right? You know." Ichigo wormed his way deeper into Byakuya's grip.

"Yeah. I had worked my way up to his 5th seat. It was just after I'd learned to release senbonzakura for the first time. It was in the aftermath of the Quincy Culling. He was debating whether or not to…… resign his commission in protest. But one of the souls killed in that massacre wanted revenge, the soul of the dead Quincy who did it opened a hollow swarm right in the middle of the division grounds. The casualties were heavy. I tried my best to help, so did the other seats. But his division took it hard. Injuries, deaths. The next day he was gone, resigned his commission and took a gigai to the living world."

Ichigo shook his head, it was still a lot to take in. "It's a good thing I didn't tell him, about what we did earlier this afternoon." He chuckled, curling up in Byakuya's arms. "I wouldn't mind making it a….. a little more of a thing, than just one afternoon. If you…… don't mind."

"I don't mind." Byakuya murmured quietly. I think if we…. Give your father a little time he won't mind either. His best student and his son. Doesn't make more of an… acceptable match."

"Is that from a shinigami point of view?"

"Yeah. The human point of view might be a little different." Byakuya purred, stroking his hair.

"Yeah, just don't show up at school. They'll want to know what I'm doing not only dating an older man, but dating Rukia's older brother."

Byakuya laughed. "No, I'll be discrete."

_What is it? This blissful warm feeling. Total trust, total peace. It feels… Incredible…_Ichigo thought, _I want to stay here, forever. _

Then he heard, calling outside. "Ichigo! Oye! Ichigo!" Ichigo hurried to the window.

Uryu, Renji, Orihime, Rukia and Sado were waiting. And snow was starting to come down. A reminder that December was here, and any time their home, their life, their loved ones, could be cut tragically short by Aizen's cruelty.

"Geez, how long does it take to get a coat and some money. I HOPE YOU HAD FUN WE'RE GONNA MISS OUR MOVIE!" Renji yelled up.

"Here…." Ichigo dug through his closet. "This one! I think it suits a shinigami captain perfectly."

The coat was about thigh length, a rich deep blue that matched Byakuya's eyes. It was made of a thick warm felt. A softer blue hat and gloves were sticking out of the pockets. Byakuya took the coat from Ichigo and slipped it around his shoulders. He pulled on the gloves but left the hat on the bed. "Lets go."

Ichigo grinned. "Wait a second." He leaned in to kiss the sixth captain on the lips, briefly, but excitedly. "Come on. Renji and Rukia take the window."

"I beg your……"

Ichigo hauled on Byakuya's hand with a huge grin on his face. In an instant they were flying out the window. Ichigo was laughing, Byakuya managed as dignified a landing as he could, hair rumbled just a bit.

Renji laughed. "Heeeey Taichou! Nice landing!"

Byakuya glared. "Lets go."

Ichigo lead the way. With the speed they'd built up fighting hollows they'd be there in no time.

The line into the movie was long. The line for treats called "Popcorn" and candies the humans called "M&Ms", "Whoppers", "Hershey Kisses" and "Snowcaps" was even longer. And then they bought drinks called "Slush Puppies" that smelled absolutely nauseating.

Then Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Rangiku and Hitsugaya joined them from one side. Ukitake, Kyouraku came from the other. "Okay, who's going to see what?" Ichigo asked. "Byakuya and I are going to see the day the earth stood still."

"I'm coming too!" Rangiku exclaimed. "Right Taichou? You're coming with me right?"

Hitsugaya shook his head. "No. I want to see Milk. Deeper."

"eeeh, Ukitake and I are coming with you Matsumoto-fukutaichou. We were in the crowd for that speech. We don't need to see it again."

"In the crowd?"

"There was a renegade adjuchas loose in San Francisco that year." Ukitake explained. "Kyouraku and I had some spare time so we took the mission. We tracked the arrancar only so far, then lost it. But we /did/ find one of Milk-san's speeches. It was very well spoken." (3)

"That and we could kiss in public at the rally. Which was very entertaining." Shunsui laughed.

Ukitake blushed. "Yes I didn't think /that/ kind of kiss was necessary. And you didn't have to try and……. Oh kami I'm turning red aren't I?"

Ichigo laughed. "Niisama! Orihime and I are going to watch with you." Rukia added. Orihime beamed at Ichigo, waving sheepishly and blushing shyly when she looked up at Byakuya.

"I want to see Milk, so I'm going with Hitsugaya and Sado." Uryu added.

The giant nodded. "I want to see something calmer. I see enough explosions in real life."

Tatsuki sighed. "I'm going with Rukia and Orihime. Don't worry, we'll take a seat away from you boys."

"What about Keigo and Mizuiro?"

Keigo pointed to the movie poster up. It read "Limited Engagement. Deathnote: L the Last Name." "We've been waiting for this one for ages! You sorry stiffs are gonna miss a /real/ show! Its got Ryuuzaki-dono in it! I can't wait for it I've gotta see! I've gotta see!" Keigo said excitedly. (4)

"Alright. See you two later. Huh? Soi Fong?" Ichigo asked.

She was looking up at the poster for Deathnote: the Last Name. "Such a scruffy looking fellow is the main character! And from the men and women walking inside to crowd the theater he must be a powerful man! I must see what makes this L person so great!"

"The lady's got taste!" Keigo exclaimed. Hearts floating above his head. "Soi Fong-taichou a lady after my own heart!"

"Fong-san, shall we go see it?" Mizuiro extended a hand to Soi Fong.

Keigo's jaw dropped. "Again with the older women…… WHAT?"

Soi Fong turned and walked towards the right theater, following the signs ahead of them. "What's with her?" Mizuiro asked. "I was only joking."

"She's already committed Mizuiro-kun." Rukia explained. "I think you just put her off rather than on."

Keigo laughed. "HA HA!!!! SHOT DOWN LIKE A FIGHTER PLANE!" Mizuiro was already walking away. "WAIT FOR MEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"

Yumichika was looking at the poster too. "His beauty is subtle, but his true grace is in his stance! WAIT FOR ME!" Yumichika ran after Keigo and Mizuiro.

"I'd better go with him." Ikkaku sweatdropped and headed after his boyfriend. "Oye! Dumbass he looks ugly to me!"

"You'd be ugly too by that statement Ikkaku." Yumichika smirked. "You aren't exactly a looker, to anybody but me."

Their squabbling took them into the theater.

Ichigo extended an arm for Byakuya. "Come on. They say it's a remake of an old movie."

Ichigo pulled Byakuya into a seat next to him, folding the cup holder armrest up so that he could snuggle next to him. (5)

Byakuya didn't mind the movie. It was weird, but he'd seen more bizarre things fighting hollows.

The candy was bizarre. He was familiar with chocolate, but the things humans figured out how to do with it was fascinating. The 'M&M's' were just the right size to eat one by one. The Snowcaps were a bit bitter, not very good. The 'whoppers' were a chocolate candy with some kind of center you needed to suck on to get the full flavor. Which left the……"

Ichigo popped a Hershey kiss into Byakuya's mouth with a smirk. The kuchiki captain blinked. Because a real kiss followed the candy one. This one he returned, a little worried about what the humans in the theater would think. "Believe it or not, this is a human teenage custom." Ichigo whispered. "Making out in the back of the theater." He popped another kiss into Byakuya's mouth. "And chocolate tastes good mixed with you."

He hauled Byakuya into another kiss, and this time he didn't hesitate. His tongue twined with Ichigo's, the deputy letting out a low moan. Ichigo's hands reached everywhere, stroking and caressing. Byakuya couldn't help getting aroused and when Ichigo climbed into his lap to continue the assault the sixth captain's lust grew.

Ichigo realized he and Byakuya were getting a little carried away. He remained in Byakuya's lap, but toned it down a bit to the occasional snuggle and kiss.

He missed Orihime's frustrated glare across the theater.

Rukia sighed, holding Orihime by the arm and snuggling closer and closer. Tatsuki was getting more and more frustrated. This wasn't fair and there wasn't much more that she could stand. Rukia had gone through her music player earlier, trying to find the right song.

Rukia did hear something familiar in one of the 'commercials' at the beginning of the movie. The name of the band listed was 'nickleback.' And the song was about true love. She only got to hear a few lines but she let go of Orihime and whispered to Tatsuki. "The nicklebacks, do you have them? That song?"

"Its Nickleback, and yeah. You want that one?"

"Yeah." Rukia grinned.

"Okay. You have to memorize it on the way home. iPods aren't allowed in the theater!"

It was too soon for Byakuya and Ichigo when the lights came up again. "Awwww, too soon." Renji whined. "I wanna see more!"

"You seem to like explosions." Ukitake grinned. Renji had been stuck sitting with him and Shunsui.

"I was stuck sitting in a movie next to a pair of old geezers! Old geezers who made out in the theater!"

"We weren't the only ones. I saw Ichigo having a lot of……… fun…….. with Kuchiki-san." Shunsui grinned.

"NANI????? Kurosaki and taichou??????" Renji whirled around, but Ichigo and Byakuya were already leaving. "Damn. Strawberry landed taichou. I wanted Ichigo!"

Ukitake laughed.

Outside snow was falling. The humans, shinigami and lone quincy gathered in the snow. "That was fuuuun! Hitsugaya-taichou! We should go to the movies more often!" Rangiku coo'd. She tackled Hitsugaya in her usual breast smothering hug.

"Well the Frost Nixon movie coming out looked fun."

"Two old geezers?" Rangiku whined. "You could be watching explosions and tales of daring do and you want to see two old geezers having at it on the television? You have no taste!"

"I watched the Frost Nixon interviews, there was nothing distasteful or boring about it." Byakuya said coldly. "A high ranking leader did wrong, and they got him to admit it. It is a story of justice being equal no matter one's rank."

Rangiku huffed. "I wanted to see Australia. This Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackson look like they'll be awesome actors!" (6)

Yumichika was ebullient. "I know I knew beauty when I saw it! Ryuuzaki-kun is a marvel! A truly beautiful man! He was poetry!"

"eh." Ikkaku sneezed. "I didn't like the way they showed shinigami. That slacker Ryuk reminded me of this jerk in the 7th. Kisses up to Iba and then laughs at me." Ikkaku grumbled.

"I feel so sorry for Rem! So glorious, so tragic!" Yumichika wailed. "It was gorgeous! Abarai-kun you should have come too! You'd have loved Light." They were walking down the street from the theater.

"Why would I have liked a psycho killer?" Renji asked. "I saw the anime on one of Ichigo's magic screen box thing. Light was a total jerk."

"But he's such a strategic master! The battle between him and Ryuuzaki-kun was incredible."

"And in the anime he kills Ryuuzaki but survives for years after before Ryuk kills him. They butchered the series to make the movie Yumichika."

"There's an anime series! SUGOI! I wanna see!" Yumichika whined. "Is Ryuuzaki-kun as beautiful as he is in the movie?"

"Watch it and see, stop botherin me."

Ichigo raised his face to the sky, and the snow falling delicately to the ground in big fluffs, and it shush shushed around his ankles when he walked.

Rukia was too engrossed in Tatsuki's iPod. Renji's feet in front of her told her where to turn, stop, ecetera.

The walk to the shoten wasn't long. And when they entered the training ground. "Sugoooooooiiiiiii!"

"Merry Christmas!"

* * *

1. Nike is the Greek goddess of victory. That's where the shoe company gets its name. But the shinigami would likely only have heard of the Greek goddess. Not of the shoes.

2. Tadaima=I'm hooo-ooooome!

3. Again, my general thought is that the shinigami are very long lived. The one thing I envy about them is that they got to see so much of human history that I, a real life 21, now 22. For that reason historically based "true story" movies will probably bore them. Hitsugaya is at least ten, probably 20 years younger than Rukia, Renji, Izuru, and Momo and was probably still a seat or lieutenant when the movie took place. So he wouldn't have seen the actual event and wouldn't get bored by the movie.

4. So do I.

5. Make out friendly seating! XP

6. I saw the movie. It has explosions and romance and tragedy. Rangiku's trifecta at the movies it seems.


	4. Chapter 4

"Merry Christmas!" Urahara grinned, party balloons, the big paper ones, opened, loosing a hail of silver and gold confetti in the training ground.

Tatsuki couldn't help laughing. The place was aglow with a happy aura of warmth and welcome.

Urahara had set benches around, and set up the karaoke machine on a dias, marking a dancing square. There were cushions and beanbag chairs and mats set aside for those who wanted to find a more private place to celebrate. There was a giant tree with lights and glass ornaments, and a present each for those attending. One of the sacred ropes used to mark shrines had been wrapped around the trunk.

And the modsouls were trying to climb the Christmas tree to put the star up. "Can you teleport it Nova?" Ririn asked as they wobbled on one of the branches.

"Teleporting is way too easy!" Kon exclaimed, bouncing up the branches one by one. "You need to work for that star Ririn! Lemme give you a legup!"

"LET ME GIVE YOU A SHUTUP!" Ririn yelled, taking the outstretched hand and using it to fling Kon off the tree and against the karaoke machine screen.

Ichigo laughed, watching as the other three climbed the tree and placed the star. (1)

"Hey guys!" Shinji and his gang of vaizard dropped from the ladder with eight puffs of dust.

Shinji had a bottle of champagne under one arm, and there was eggnog on a table with refreshments and there was lots and lots of sake and hot hard cider. Sweets and sushi and grilled meat and riceballs and all kinds of treats were lined up next to them. Renji and Ikkaku were salivating.

"What do you think?" Urahara asked. "We're just missing…….."

"Oye! HAT AND CLOG!" Ichigo backed away as Isshin entered, dragging Ryoken behind him.

"DAD????" Uryu sputtered.

"Aherm."

"This is a soul reaper party Ryoken! We all go wild!" Isshin snatched up Shinji's bottle of champagne, shook and sprayed the bottle at Ryoken.

"GET THAT STUFF OFF ME!" The quincy hissed, kicking the bottle out of Isshin's hands.

"What is it archer boy, can't handle the sauce? Have some eggnog!" Isshin grabbed Ryoken in a headlock. "Come on! Lets get the old trio back together. URAHARA!"

Renji blinked. "Wait………. Your dad………. Is that a shohaksho?"

"Yep."

"And a…….. captain's haori?"

"Yep." Ichigo started to droop.

"OH!" Rukia grinned. "I thought there was something strange about you!" Rukia grinned, "You're a halfbreed, that explains it."

Ichigo growled. "Hey watch it!"

"When did you find this out?" Ikkaku asked. "Dude, your dad is the greatest goofball ever to come out of the 11th! All the punks there know his name! They say he's the sissy who transferred to the 4th!!!" The bald shinigami jumped Ichigo and gave him a noogie.

"I just found out today guys so……. So take it easy okay." Ichigo asked with a wane smile. "it came as a bit of a shock."

Then they started up the karaoke machine. There was a bit of a tussle to use it first. Though it was easy for Renji to kick Keigo bodily off the stage, he couldn't beat off Urahara so easily. The shopkeeper hauled Isshin onto the stage (though Ryouken shot an arrow at them when they tried to drag him with them) and the two launched into a duet of "Build Me Up Buttercup."

Ichigo laughed as he watched them hop around on the stage. "Oh what the hell. RENJI!" Uryu growled. "There is no way Ichigo's dad can sing better than us."

They hit up a pop song that had been hitting the American charts "Let it Rock" Uryu could actually sing, and Renji did the rap part and Ichigo grinned, "Shall we?" He asked Byakuya. (2)

"I am…. Not used to this kind of dancing."

"COME HERE!" Ichigo purred, hauling Byakuya too him. "Its not particularly hard." Ichigo took one of Byakuya's hands, placing it on his hip. "And I take the other hip. And just….." It didn't take long to have Byakuya grinding with him.

Before long the alcohol began to flow, and Ichigo was getting more than a little tipsy from hard cider and eggnog. Yoruichi tugged Soi Fong with her onto the stage. "Our turn!" Yoruichi got Soi Fong to dance with her as they sang some techno song proclaiming "God is a girl." (3) which was easier to dance to.

"Oye!" Shinji smirked. "Can I cut in Kuchiki-kun?"

"Of course, though he /is/ mine." Byakuya smirked. "So return him to me……. Unblemished…….."

Shinji laughed. "How did you get away with calling him –kun?" Ichigo asked.

"All of us Vaizard are either former captains or former lieutenants. You know Hiyori was Urahara's lieutenant?"

"No. Fucking. Way!"

"Way. I was 5th captain before Aizen, he was my lieutenant before he stabbed me in the back." He frowned, Ichigo couldn't help looking towards the stage. "What is it?"

"All you shinigami, you either know each other or know /of/ each other. Tell me, did you know about dad?"

"Yeah. The way you kicked, almost identical to Isshin. The guy was just too over the top. See, since shinigami are so long lived there have been captains and former captains who have retired before. Believe it or not most of the halfbreed shinigami born in the last 2 centuries have been born to former captains or lieutenants. And there are a /lot/ of us." A pause. "Hey I know this one!"

"Attention! Attention!" The opening strains for "Rock the House" (4) Rangiku had snatched the microphone. "I have convinced Kon and his fellow plushies to dance with us. So Izuru and Shuhei and I are gonna sing for you. My fellow shinigami, Its time to rock the house!!!!!!"

"There's a dance to this song." Izuru added. "Its really easy to do. Kon if you please."

"Righto!" Kon demonstrated the dance from the video. Ichigo started to gag. "oh god. That is just……… I wanna smash him. Stupid stuffed little."

Byakuya pulled Ichigo close to him. "I have a better idea." He purred, hand straying down Ichigo's side. "You know, they put those mats there for a reason."

"mmm, I am definitely liking that idea." Ichigo smirked. "Drunken partying, are holidays always like this for you guys."

"Not always." Ichigo tugged Byakuya towards the hot springs. "Better than a mat." Ichigo whispered.

Byakuya scooped Ichigo up and shunpo'd top speed towards the spa end of the practice grounds. They came to a stop at the edge of the pool of healing water. Clothes formed a neat little breadcrumb trail towards the water. Byakuya waded in first, and then Ichigo leapt into his arms.

"You're sure about this?" Byakuya asked, pulling Ichigo into a powerful, breathless, world shattering kiss, made stronger by the hard cider heating the pit of his stomach and warming him all over.

"Very." Ichigo growled, rubbing his hips to Byakuya's.

_I feel so warm, so safe. Its this feeling again. _

Byakuya cast around him for something to use for lubricant, though the water would make it pretty much moot, he still wanted to prep Ichigo. It was his first time after all. A jar of sweet smelling jasmine and amber musk massage oil did fine.

He picked Ichigo up, setting him on the lip of the spring with the massage oil. Dipping his hands in, Byakuya leaned in, kneeding Ichigo's hips, butt, and abdomen before taking the other's length in his mouth in one swallow. He sucked on the member, teasing him with his tongue, licking back to the head and down again.

Ichigo gasped, little mewling noises coming out of his mouth. His hands went down, fisting in Byakuya's hair. His vision was blurry, and all he could register were Byakuya's hands on his body, his tongue playing with the head of his cock, and the pleasure building up in him.

At the same time the nobleman slowly began to massage his hands downwards. Byakuya pressed in the first finger, testing Ichigo's reaction. The boy hardly noticed the entry until the second finger. A huge blush rose in his face.

Byakuya pulled his head back, slowly, dragging his tongue along the underside. Ichigo whimpered, letting go. "Can't have you come too soon." Byakuya's voice was horse with need. "Relax your lower body, it won't hurt as much."

Ichigo nodded, spreading his legs a little wider. Byakuya scissored his fingers a few times, spreading the oil before worming a little deeper and touching. Ichigo yelled Byakuya's name as the noble touched the one spot that made stars dance in his eyes. "Holy……….. what the hell was that?"

Byakuya smirked, removing his hand. "I hit your prostate, it feels good doesn't it?"

"Hell yeah." Ichigo slid back into the water and followed Byakuya a little deeper into the springs. Half floating in the water, Byakuya turned Ichigo around.

"Ready."

"YES." Ichigo felt Byakuya's member pressing against his entrance. The noble was /big/. Very big.

"It will hurt a little. Hang on to my arms, I have you."

Ichigo felt him pressing through the first ring of muscle. "Oh….. oh oh oh……" He grabbed Byakuya's arms, squeezing hard as he tried to keep his hips still. Byakuya's arms tightened around his waist. Ichigo leaned back against Byakuya for balance in the water, and Byakuya could see his toes wriggling in the water.

Time seemed to slow to a near stop, Byakuya was inching his way in, drawing it out so that the feeling could last as long as possible. And when his lover was fully seated inside, Ichigo chanced a glance upwards.

Byakuya had a faint pink to his cheeks, and the normally icy sixth captain felt like he was drowning in the feel of being enveloped into his lover's body. Ichigo's slender form was naturally tight, added that the deputy was, (the key word) a virgin, and Byakuya wanted to turn them around and just pound into him.

The noble kept his impulses in check however, moving to the wall so he could get better leverage and slowly starting to pump inside his koi, rolling his hips rather than thrusting directly. Ichigo's breathing became hitched, groaning as he started to move with him.

And when Byakuya hit Ichigo's prostate the deputy yelled his lover's name. Ichigo saw stars, his body twitching, panting as Byakuya deliberately drew out the pleasure. He let out mewls of pleasure, lewd noises getting louder as pleasure simply rolled over his body.

But it was when Byakuya started kissing along his neck and jawline, stroking at his hips and pinching just the right nerve to send pleasure shooting up Ichigo's spine that the deputy came. He screamed Byakuya's name, shuddering violently with his head thrown back against his lover's chest. Byakuya sputtered Ichigo's name, vision swimming as he spilled inside his koi. Ichigo felt the other seering into his body, into his being. For the barest moment, just the faintest moment in time, it was as if he could feel the other's soul, their minds and hearts mingling as one before the feeling faded and his vision came back to normal.

He hadn't heard the music the whole time they'd been having sex, the world had just been him and Byakuya. But he heard a voice far distant saying. "Its my turn…"

Rukia was doing last minute memorizing of lyrics while Hiyori and Tatsuki butchered Rhianna "SOS" and Lisa sang some love song about "Too good to be true, can't take my eyes off of you." Shinji lead a rousing, drunken, yet strangely on tune version of Panic at the Disco…

… And when she finally had it and most of her friends were all tired out and drunk, Rukia stood. She tapped the mike gently, one two, one two. "Its my turn." As she searched the crowd for Orihime, catching the girl's eye. Orihime blinked, raising her head to watch Rukia sing. "This song is for…… everyone out there that's still searching for someone to love. I know I found my someone, though I don't know if they're truly listening to me or if they're going to walk right by me without ever saying a word."

_This time I wonder what it feels like  
To find the one in this life  
The one we all dream of  
But dreams just aren't enough  
So I´ll be waiting for the real thing.  
I'll know it by the feeling.  
The moment when we´re meeting  
We'll play out like a scene straight off the silver screen_

Rukia held Orihime's gaze through the first verse, her voice falling into a lilting and beautiful alto as she raised her head to the oddly blue sky and the rocks and the world around it praying to any goddess of love and strength that was listening for Orihime to /hear/ her!

_So I`ll be holdin' my own breath  
Right up to the end  
Until that moment when  
I find the one that I'll spend forever with_

_`Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.  
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.  
Someone to love with my life in their hands.  
There`s gotta be somebody for me like that._

With lithe grace she drew herself up into a slow sway as she sang the chorus. Her voice rising in force and remaining level in volume, so that it could carry. Partygoers split off to dance, and Rukia wondered what Ichigo would think of Urahara dancing with his dad and wow when did Uryu let Renji a soul reaper of all people lead him in a dance and Yoruichi and Soi Fong were swaying to the music in each other's embrace. Shuhei had Izuru in his arms moving a brisk step. Ukitake and Shunsui were curled up watching in each other's arms and she had never seen taichou that happy ever.

_`Cause nobody wants to go in on their own  
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.  
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere.  
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there._

As the younger visitors to the party moved towards the stage Orihime stood, eyes widening a little when Rukia's eyes finally rested on her. As if hypnotized she moved forwards towards the stage. _Its like… its like… her heart… its calling me… it feels so… warm, so passionate…I want to drown in her soul… _

_Tonight out on the street out in the moonlight  
And damn it this feels too right  
It´s just like Déjà Vu  
Me standin' here with you  
So I´ll be holdin`my breath  
Could this be the end?  
Is it that moment when  
I find the one that I'll spend forever with?_

Rukia watched Orihime wend her way slowly to the stage, eyes finally resting on hers, sapphire locking with silver grey. Orihime placed her hands on the stage, looking up at Rukia, her eyes huge.

Tatsuki was bobbing with the crowd, ducking out of the way when Isshin finally succeeded in pulling a drunken Ryoken into a wild tango with him and Urahara jumped them both into a trio of giggling drunken men. Then she saw Orihime looking up at Rukia, her eyes so soft with feeling. _Bingo. _

_'Cause nobody wants to be the last one there  
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.  
Someone to love with my life in their hands.  
There´s gotta be somebody for me like that._

Rukia reached down for Orihime, offering a hand as the other shinigami realized who she was singing for. They leaned so close that their noses touched, and Rukia gestured for Orihime to join in. Startled the redhead fumbled a moment before she joined in, her soprano wending its way through the melody Rukia belted out with all her heart. Orihime melted as Rukia's arm went around her shoulder, trembling when Rukia's aura met hers.

Just the force, the love, strength, the need pulsing through Rukia's body and spiritual pressure as their voices melded into one being made the girl tremble.

And then she saw it, Ichigo and Byakuya had snuck back in. There was a loopy smile and a blush on Ichigo's face Byakuya lead him in an elegant dance, spinning and turning to the music. On the edge of arms length and then back into his arms, leaning backwards into his grip.

_`Cause nobody wants to go in on their own  
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.  
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?  
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there._

Rukia's heart soared with joy as she experienced the power of an entire crowd falling into sync with her voice.

_You can´t give up!  
When you're lookin´ for that diamond in the rough  
Because you never know but when it shows up  
Make sure you´re holdin` on  
'Cause it could be the one, the one you´re waiting on_

And as they entered the final refrain, some of those in the crowd joined in singing with her. Orihime's voice caroling out as her little shun shun rikka whirled in sparkling circles of golden light around them as Tsubaki sailed to the top of the Christmas tree and landed on the star, setting the Christmas ornament ablaze with spiritual fire.

_'Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.  
And everyone wants to feel like someone cares.  
Someone to love with my life in their hands.  
There has gotta be somebody for me  
Ohhhhhh._

As the last echo's died out, Rukia did what she'd set out to do and pulled Orihime into a desperate, earth shattering, pleading kiss. The rest of the group cheering themselves hoarse as she did so.

Tatsuki tensed, this would be the final test. But as she watched Orihime's face became suffused with the joy and love that so characterized the season outside. The red head met the kiss with every ounce of sweetness and light that the girl gave to those in her life.

_Nobody wants to go in on their own  
And everyone wants to know they´re not alone.  
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?  
There`s gotta be somebody for me out there._

Ichigo stood there, enrapt in Byakuya's arms as he watched the girls sing and Tsubaki light up the Christmas star. He heard moving behind him. "you jerk Kisuke what the hell did you put in that eggnog." That was Ryoken. "Joy dust." Isshin growled, "Let me grab that….." and he heard a surprised yip as his /father/ of all people grabbed Ryoken by the ass and the stern Quincy lashed back with a grab to the crotch. "I must be going insane doing this with you two again."

But when Ichigo turned in surprise all he saw was the three men's vanishing backs as they headed for the ladder at a very /urgent/ pace. (5)

_Nobody wants to be the last one there  
'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.  
Is there somebody else that feels the same somewhere?  
There has gotta be somebody for me out there._

* * *

1. Challenge for you artists! Draw the plushies putting the star on the tree and Tsubaki lighting it up!

2. Entropia Universe is doing a video contest with that song. I'm checking out the competition while I write.

3. Groove Coverage "God is a girl."

4. Rock the house by Gorillaz

5 Love triangle. ZOMG. Isshin WOULD do that!


End file.
